All Tequila is mezcal, but not all Mezcal is tequila.
Mexico is home to two of the world’s most iconic spirits: tequila and mezcal. At first, they seem alike. Both come from the agave plant, both carry a Denomination of Origin, and both are part of Mexico’s deep culture. But look closer, and you find two very different stories in the glass.
Tequila
Tequila is Mexico’s most famous export. By law, it must be made only from Blue Weber Agave, and only in five regions: Jalisco (home of the Highlands and the Valley), Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.
The agave grows for 6–8 years before harvest. Once mature, the leaves are cut away, leaving the piña (heart). The process is mostly industrial today:
Cooking – in ovens or autoclaves with pressurized steam.
Milling – crushed by tahona or roller mills.
Fermentation – in tanks with yeast.
Distillation – usually twice in copper or stainless steel stills.
Aging – depending on the style.
Tequila Styles:
Blanco – bottled fresh, no aging.
Joven/Gold – blanco with color or flavor added.
Reposado – at least 2 months in oak.
Añejo – at least 12 months in oak.
Extra Añejo – over 24 months in oak.
Even region shapes the taste:
Los Altos (Highlands) – red mineral soil, cooler climate → sweet, fruity, citrusy tequilas.
El Valle (Lowlands) – volcanic soil, hotter climate → earthy, herbal, more vegetal tequilas.
With nearly 20 million cases sold each year, tequila is one of the fastest-growing and most recognized spirits in the world.
Mezcal
Mezcal is often called tequila’s older cousin. It has been made for over 500 years, using the same traditional methods. The word itself comes from the Nahuatl mexcalli — “agave cooked in the earth.”
Unlike tequila, mezcal can be made from 35–40 different agave varieties. Some take decades to mature, making every harvest precious. Espadín is the most common, but rare types like Tobalá, Tepeztate, and Arroqueño are highly prized.
Mezcal’s Denomination of Origin is wider than tequila’s: it can be produced in Oaxaca, Puebla, Durango, Guerrero, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Michoacán, Guanajuato, and Tamaulipas. Each region and agave variety gives mezcal its own personality.
Traditional Production:
Cooking – roasted underground in stone pits with wood and volcanic rock → smoky flavors.
Milling – crushed by tahona, by hand, or small mills.
Fermentation – natural, in wooden vats, leather, or clay containers.
Distillation – usually twice, in copper or clay pot stills, often with agave fibers included.
Categories (NOM-070):
Joven/Blanco – bottled after distillation.
Reposado – 2–12 months in oak.
Añejo – over 12 months in oak.
Artisanal – traditional mezcal with tahona, wood fermentation, copper/clay distillation.
Ancestral – the purest style, always tahona-crushed, natural fermentation, and clay pot stills.
“All tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila.
Tequila is a refined expression of agave clean, floral, citrusy, and consistent.
Mezcal is the wilder spirit; smoky, bold, and deeply tied to place and tradition”
